Collapsible file container



Nov. 9, 1965 w. H. FURRER 3,216,426

COLLAPSIBLE FILE CONTAINER Filed July 6, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN vsnqan. WERNER H. FURRER fiangm ATTORNEYS.

5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 6, 1961 i'Nl ENZ'OR. WERNER H. FURRER gfiw/ ATTORNEYS.

Nov. 9, 1965 w. H. FURRER COLLAPSIBLE FILE CONTAINER 3 Sheets-Sheet 15 Filed July 6, 1961 FIO.6

INVENTQR. WEE/V5}? H. FUAEEA? United States Patent 3,216,426 COLLAPSIBLE FILE CONTAINER Werner H. Fiirrer, Kusnaeht, Zurich, Switzerland, assignor to Rod. Fiirrer Siihne A-G., Zurich, Switzerland, a corporation of Switzerland Filed July 6, 1961, Ser. No. 122,276 Claims priority, application Switzerland, May 31', 1961, 6,370/ 61 2 Claims. (Cl. 12916.7)

This application is a continuation-in-part of application Serial No. 703,691, filed by the present applicant on December 18, 1957, now abandoned.

This invention relates in general to containers and in particular to a new and useful collapsible container for files and similar material which may be folded to an erected position with the rear walls positioned in abutting relationship and which rear walls are held together in an assembled condition by a combination stiffening, supporting and fastening member which includes a portion overlying the rear face of the inner one of the rear walls and including a portion projecting outwardly from the exterior of the erected container for supporting the container from a suspension rack.

The present invention is particularly applicable for storing files or papers which may be advantageously placed in the erected container and the container suspended on a supporting rack. For this purpose, the container advantageously includes a supporting element at one or both ends for suspending the container with the files therein.

The present invention is an improvement over prior art devices, particularly in the arrangement of the COntainer elements which may be stored or shipped in a collapsed or fiat condition and easily erected into a sturdy container structure for the storage of the files.

In accordance with the invention, there is provided a container blank including a bottom wall, side walls hingedly connected at each side of said bottom wall, and a rear wall connected to at least one corresponding side of each of said side walls. The blank is erected into the container by folding the side walls upwardly from the bottom wall and forming the rear wall so that they are arranged in abutting relationship between opposite side walls. The invention includes a combination stiffening, supporting and fastening member which is easily positioned to overlie a face of one or both of the rear walls and includes a clamping portion to hold the rear walls in a substantially parallel erected position. The combination stiffening, supporting and fastening member is advantageously made of a rigid material, such as metal, and it functions to stiffen the erected container structure. It includes a hooked extending portion permitting the entire container to be supported by hooking the extension over a similarly hook-shaped supporting rack.

In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, the combination stiffening, supporting and fastening member advantageously includes a plate portion which overlies a rear face of the inner one of the rear walls and strengthens a major portion of the height of the rear wall and includes a tab portion which extends downwardly over the outer face of the outer one of the rear walls to hold the two rear walls in an erected position. The combination stiffening, supporting and fastening member advantageously includes projecting elements which extend into aligned openings on the rear walls in order to hold them in a parallel erected position. The combination stiffening, supporting and fastening member further includes a hook-shaped upper portion which extends outwardly at the upper end of the rear Wall of the container for the purpose of hooking this rear Wall onto a supporting rack for suspension purposes.

3,216,426 Patented Nov. 9, 1965 In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, there is provided a combination stiffening, supporting and fastening member which includes cut-out areas which are bent to form tabs which fit into cooperative engagement with recesses formed along the edge of abutting rear wall members. In addition, means such as cutout tabs are provided to fit into openings which become aligned therewith when the rear walls are disposed in a parallel erected position. The invention includes a modification and arrangement of the combination stiffening, supporting and fastening member and rear wall construction to effect the stiffening of the rear walls when they are assembled in an erected position and the holding of the rear walls in an erected position, and provides means for suspending the container in a manner to distribute the forces in vertical, horizontal and oblique directions in respect to the rear walls.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved container construction.

A further object of the invention is to provide a container construction made from a blank having a bottom wall, side walls hingedly connected to each side of said bottom wall, rear walls hingedly connected at at least one corresponding end of each of said side walls and foldable into abutting relationship, and including a combination stiffening, supporting and fastening member which is secured to a rear wall to hold the container in an erected position to permit the supporting of the container.

A further object of the invention is to provide an open ended, open top container for receiving files, books and the like comprising collapsible Walls which are foldable into an erected position and including a combination supporting stiffening and fastening member holding the walls in an aligned, substantially parallel relationship, including means for suspending the container extending outwardly from the folded walls.

A further object of the invention is to provide an open ended, open top container held together in an erected position by a stiffening member and includes clamping means extending through the walls to hold the walls in an aligned erected position and a supporting hook extending outwardly from the upper end for supporting the container in an erected condition.

A further object of the invention is to provide a container which is simple in design, rugged in construction and economical to manufacture.

The various features of novely which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its use, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated and described preferred embodiments of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a blank for forming the container in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the container in an erected condition indicated supported on a supporting rack;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary rear elevation of the container indicated in FIG. 2 with the rear Wall shown prior to complete erection;

FIG. 4 is a section taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a side elevation of the combination supporting, stiffening and fastening member as viewed from the side indicated by the arrow A of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary rear elevation of another embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary top plan of the embodiment of container indicated in FIG. 6.

Referring to the drawings in particular, the embodiment of the invention indicated in FIGS. 1 to 5 includes an open ended, open top container generally designated for files, books and similar material, and which is advantageously made of paper-board or similar material. The container 10 includes a pair of side walls 1 and 2 hingedly connected to each side of a central bottom wall 3. Rear walls 22a and 22b are hingedly connected to one end of each of side walls 1 and 2, respectively. All of the walls 1, 2, 3, 22a and 22b are foldable about the score lines 5.

The invention includes a combination supporting, stiffening and fastening member generally designated 12 having an elongated flat portion or tongue 12 which is disposed to overlie the interior face of the rear wall which is folded on the inside of the container 10. i

The combination stiffening, supporting and fastening member further includes a depending hook portion 16 provided to permit the entire container assembly to be hooked over a similarly hook-shaped supporting rack element for the purpose of suspending the complete container at such location.

The combination stiffening, supporting and fastening member functions to connect the two wall portions 22a and 22b adjacent the top and bottom thereof and to' prevent relative displacement of these two wall portions and supplementary to stiffen these Wall portions in their erected positions.

Referring to FIG. 1 in particular, there is indicated a blank generally designated 20 having side walls 1, 2 and bottom wall 3 which are foldable about score lines 5. In this embodiment, rear walls 22a and 22b are provided which have a plurality of trapezoidal shaped notches 24 cut into an outer edge 26. In addition, substantially circular openings 28 are cut at spaced locations along the length thereof. Respective notches 24 and openings 28 align when the container is assembled and the side walls 1 and 2 are folded upwardly and the rear walls 22a and 22b are abutted.

In this construction, a combination supporting, stiffening and fastening member generally designated 12 (FIGS. 3, 4 and 5) is provided which is advantageously made of a metal strip of material such as sheet metal, and is made substantially symmetrical with regard to a center line BB. Six semi circular flaps 13 are formed in the member 12 by cutting along a semi circular outline and bending the metal within the outline outwardly. In the construction indicated, three of the flaps 13 are arranged symmetrically on each side of thecenter line B--B at vertically spaced locations.

In addition to the flaps 13, tongues or flaps 14 are formed by cutting the member 12 along an oblique line 30 which extends downwardly from a spaced location from the center line BB. Member 12 is also cut along a substantially horizontal straight line 32 and a curved line 34 which interconnects the straight portion 32 and the oblique portion 30.

As best indicated in FIG. 3, when the container is assembled, first one rear wall, for example, wall 22b, is positioned substantially vertical with its edge 26 along the -center line BB and the flaps 14 are bent downwardly over the exterior face thereof. Flaps 13 may either be bent backwardly over the rear wall 22b or forwardly over the wall to anchor the wall in an erected position.

It should be appreciated that the flap 14 advantageously includes a substantially flat portion 36v (FIG; 4) and a short portion 38 which extends outwardly substantially perpendicular to the fiat face of the member 12.

The upper end of the combination supporting, stiffening and fastening member 12 is provided with a bent portion forming a channel for securing each of the walls 22b and 22a in place against the member 12. In addition, a hook-shaped portion 16 is formed to permit the entire container to be supported on ahook-shaped rack 40, as .indicated in FIG. 2, 1n the preferred arrangement,

the rack 40 is disposed in parallel spaced relationship so that a flat upper portion 42 forms a resting support for the bottom wall 3 and a lower hook portion 44 supports the container 10 by means of the hook-shaped portion 16.

The trapezoidally-shaped notched areas 24 are formed of a substantially vertical base portion 24' which extends parallel to the center line BB upon erection. The sides of the area 24 are formed by obliquely extending side portion 24". The obliquely extending portions 24" act to guide and center the rear wall 38 of the flaps 14 to the base portion 24 of the trapezoidal cut-out area 24.

After the rear wall 22b is centered, as indicated in FIG. 3, the rear wall 22a is moved into position by erecting the bottom wall 3 and the base portions 24' are centered against the wall portion 38 of the flap 14 as before. A fold line 13a of the flaps 13 advantageously extends at an angle of about 45 in respect to the center line BB, as indicated in FIG. 3. In arranging the flaps 13 in this manner, they are capable of absorbing both vertically and horizontally acting forces. The flaps 13 are bent out from the plane of the member 12 to an extent so that they project to at least half of the material thickness of the cardboard into the opening 28.

The metal strip combination supporting, reinforcing and securing member 12 is of a length to extend at least over half the height of the entire container. However, if a very light load is to be supported in the container this member 12 may be made considerably shorter.

In the embodiment indicated in FIGS. 6 and 7, there is provided a combination supporting, fastening and reinforcing member generally designated 72 which includes the usual channel-shaped portion 15 and the hook-shaped portion 16 at the upper end. In this embodiment, flaps 74, of substantially rectangular outline with curved outer ends, are cut out from the member 72 and they include back wall portions 76 which are substantially perpendicular to the face of the member 72 and form vertical abutments against which notched areas of the rear walls 78 and 80 are abutted. In this embodiment, the rear walls 78 and 80 include substantially trapezoidally-shaped notches 82 adapted to receive the flap 74, as in the embodiment indicated in FIG. 3. Semi circular flaps 84 also are provided which fit into circular openings 86 formed by the associated rear walls 78 and 80. In this prefered embodiment, rear walls 78 and 80 abut along ther common edges along the central line BB. It is also possible that the edges of the rear walls 78, 80 can be spaced from each other.

During erection of the container the combination securing, fastening and reinforcing member 72 is placed against the inner faces of the rear walls 78 and 70. The flaps are raised to engage in the openings 86 of one of the rear Walls and the other rear wall is moved into engagement and centered by the trapezoidal-shaped recess 82 so that the rear walls lie in a single plane. The edges of the rear walls 78 and 80 tightly abut against each other in the assembled position.

The reinforcing, supporting and fastening members are normally made from a non-resilient metal sheet and during assembly resilience or springiness is obtained from the blank portions of the container which are bent to conform the flaps into their aligned position. Normally, once the container is assembled, it is not necessary to disassemble the container and, generally speaking, the collapsible feature is desirable only prior to the initial erection when it is necessary to ship the materials fiat and to store the materials for ready assembly to accommodate new bundles of files as they are accumulated. In some instances, however, it is preferable to make the combination securing, fastening and supporting members of a resilient material to permit them to bend in order to manipulate the various flaps out of the associated openings it should be appreciated that an additional set of walls may be formed on the opposite edges 77 of the container and secured in a similar manner by a combination supporting, fastening and reinforcing member. Further it is possible that the container is completely closed.

According to a further embodiment, the container could also be so constructed, that the rear side and the bottom are exchanged, eg the walls 22a, 22b, 78, 80 could form the bottom and the wall 3, could form the rear side.

While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the inventive principles, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.

What is claimed is:

1. A collapsible file container for use in connection with a suspension filing rack, comprising a single piece of material forming a plurality of substantially rigid wall elements constituting a bottom wall having opposite side edges, two side walls each hingedly connected to a respective opposite side edge of said bottom wall so that said side walls are located at either side 'of said bottom wall, said side walls being spaced from each other and extending in substantially parallel and upright relation with each other, and two rear wall sections each hingedly secured to a corresponding end of a respective side Wall disposed in a common plane with edges thereof adjacent and in opposition; connecting means engaging said rear wall sections and comprising an elongated plate portion on the inside of said container and abutting against the rear wall sections with which it is to be associated, said plate portion having angle-like flaps each with a substantially vertical back, bent out from the material of the plate portion; said rear wall sections having notches at the adjacent edges having substantially vertical side edges each abutting a respective one of said vertical backs of said flap with the associated flap engaging said rear wall section adjacent the vertical side of said notch, said notches also having obliquely extending side edges for guiding and centering the rear wall sections relative to the flaps of the plate portion; and locking means acting between the rear wall sections and the plate portion for securing said wall elements in the upright position, comprising recess means defined in the rear wall sections and detent means extend ing from the plate portion and fitting into said recess means, said plate portion further including a supporting flange portion extending outwardly adjacent the upper edge of said plate member and including a downwardly extending portion for supporting said plate member, with the container, on a rack.

2. A collapsible file container for use in connection with a suspension filing rack, comprising a single piece of material forming a plurality of substantially rigid wall elements constituting a bottom wall having opposite side edges, two side walls each hingedly connected to a respective opposite side edge of said bottom wall so that said side walls are located at either side of said bottom wall, said side walls being spaced from each other and extending in substantially parallel and upright relation with each other, and two rear wall sections each hingedly secured to a corresponding end of a respective side wall disposed in a common plane with the edges thereof adjacent and in opposition; connecting means engaging said rear wall sections and comprising an elongated plate portion on the inside of said container and abutting against the rear wall sections with which it is to be associated, said plate portion having angle-like flaps each with a substantially vertical back, bent out from the material of the plate portion; said rear wall sections having notches at the adjacent edges having substantially vertical side edges each abutting a respective one of said vertical backs of said fiap with the associated flap engaging said rear wall section adjacent the vertical side of said notch, said notches also having obliquely extending side edges for guiding and centering the rear wall sections relative to the flaps of the plate portion; and locking means acting between the rear wall sections and the plate portion for securing said wall elements in the upright position, comprising recess means defined in the rear wall sections and detent means extending from the plate portion and fitting into said recess means, said plate portion further including a supporting flange portion extending outwardly adjacent the upper edge of said plate member and including a downwardly extending portion for supporting said plate member, with the container, on a rack, said recess means comprising a plurality of openings in said rear wall sections, said detent means including a plurality of semi-circular flaps extending from said plate portion and fitting into corresponding ones of the openings in said rear wall sections.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 384,601 6/88 Barnard 12943 1,102,445 7/14 Schwab 21941 1,272,185 7/ 18 Baden 22949 X 1,519,051 12/24 Rayner 20648.18

FOREIGN PATENTS 917,301 9/46 France.

1,010,792 3/52 France.

576,921 5/33 Germany.

927,988 5/55 Germany.

597,924 2/48 Great Britain.

696,288 8/53 Great Britain.

855,063 11/60 Great Britain.

140,173 2/53 Sweden.

JEROME SCHNALL, Primary Examiner. 

1. A COLLAPSIBLE FILE CONTAINER FOR USE IN CONNECTION WITH A SUSPENSION FILING RACK, COMPRISING A SINGLE PIECE OF MATERIAL FORMING A PLURALITY OF SUBSTANTIALLY RIGID WALL ELEMENTS CONSTITUTING A BOTTOM WALL HAVING OPPOSITE SIDE EDGES, TWO SIDE WALL EACH HINGEDLY CONNECTED TO A RESPECTIVE OPPOSITE SIDE EDGE OF SAID BOTTOM WALL SO THAT SAID SIDE WALLS ARE LOCATED AT EITHER SIDE OF SAID BOTTOM WALL, SAID SIDE WALLS BEING SPACED FROM EACH OTHER AND EXTENDING IN SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL AND UPRIGHT RELATION WITH EACH OTHER, AND TWO REAR WALL SECTIONS EACH HINGEDLY SECURED TO A CORRESPONDING END OF A RESPECTIVE SIDE WALL DISPOSED IN A COMMON PLANE WITH EDGES THEREOF ADJACENT AND IN OPPOSITION; CONNECTING MEANS ENGAGING SAID REAR WALL SECTIONS AND COMPRISING AN ELONGATED PLATE PORTION ON THE INSIDE OF SAID CONTAINER AND ABUTTING AGAINST THE REAR WALL SECTIONS WITH WHICH IT IS TO BE ASSOCIATED, SAID PLATE PORTION HAVING ANGLE-LIKE FLAPS EACH WITH A SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL BACK, BENT OUT FROM THE MATERIAL OF THE PLATE PORTION; SAID REAR WALL SECTIONS HAVING NOTCHES AT THE ADJACENT EDGES HAVING SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL SIDE EDGES EACH ABUTTING A RESPECTIVE ONE OF SAID VERTICAL BACKS OF SAID FLAP WITH THE ASSOCIATED FLAP ENGAGING SAID REAR WALL SECTION ADJACENT THE VERTICAL SIDE OF SAID NOTCH, SAID NOTCHES ALSO HAVING OBLIQUELY EXTENDING SIDE EDGES FOR GUIDING AND CENTERING THE REAR WALL SECTIONS RELATIVE TO THE FLAPS OF THE PLATE PORTION; AND LOCKING MEANS ACUTING BETWEEN THE REAR WALL SECTIONS AND THE PLATE PORTION FOR SECURING SAID WALL ELEMENTS IN THE UPRIGHT POSITION, COMPRISING RECESS MEANS DEFINED IN THE REAR WALL SECTIONS AND DETENT MEANS EXTENDING FROM THE PLATE PORTION AND FITTING INTO SAID RECESS MEANS, SAID PLATE PORTION FURTHER INCLUDING A SUPPORTING FLANGE PORTION EXTENDING OUTWARDLY ADJACENT THE UPPER EDGE OF SAID PLATE MEMBER AND INCLUDING A DOWNWARDLY EXTENDING PORTION FOR SUPPORTING SAID PLATE MEMBER, WITH THE CONTAINER, ON A RACK. 